GPS tracking systems have grown in popularity in recent years. A conventional tracking system uses a GPS navigational device to determine the location of a vehicle or other mobile object and to record the position at determined times, intervals or conditions in order to create a track file or log of activities. The recorded data can be stored within a GPS tracking unit for subsequent access and use, or it may be transmitted to a central location, or internet-connected computer. Illustratively, the data may be communicated using a cellular, radio, or satellite modem embedded in the tracking unit. This allows the data to be reported in real-time, using either web browser based tools or customized software.
Some tracking units are interfaced to receive signals and store data representative of output from various sensors provided on vehicles. In addition to tracking a vehicle's location at any time, such systems may store operating data such as speed, rpm, engine temperature and other parameters which are sensed and processed by sensors and electronic control units of modern vehicles.
Wireless hotspots have also grown in popularity in recent years. Hotspots are locations where compatible computers (such as laptops, PDAs or other properly equipped computing devices) may communicate via high frequency radio signals with a wireless local area network (WLAN/Wi-Fi) equipped with a public wireless access point (WAP) in accordance with a compatible wireless standard (e.g., IEEE 802.11x) to conveniently connect to the Internet. Hotspots are often found near restaurants, train stations, hotels, airports, cafés, libraries and other public places. Many such hotspots are open (i.e., publicly accessible) and available free of charge.
Despite the proliferation of hotspots, to date they have not been used a primary means for vehicle tracking. Shortcomings of hotspots, which include limited capacity and range, have forestalled widespread adoption and use for vehicle tracking. By way of example, a typical IEEE 802.11 WAP may communicate with up to about 30 client systems located within a radius of about 100 meters. Even this limited range of communication can vary substantially, depending on such variables as indoor or outdoor placement of the WAP, height above ground, nearby obstructions, other electronic devices that might actively interfere with the signal by broadcasting on the same frequency, the type of antenna(s), the current weather, operating radio frequency, and the power output of devices.
As a further complication, a traveling vehicle may spend only a few seconds within the range of an available hotspot. This provides an extremely narrow window of opportunity to communicate accumulated tracking data.
To avoid the aforementioned limitations of hotspots, most conventional tracking systems depend upon alternative forms of wireless communication, such as cellular. While such forms of communication are effective for vehicle tracking, they tend to be more costly to deploy, operate and maintain.
A tracking system that can take advantage of freely available public hotspots is needed. The system should be configured to automatically detect the presence of an available hotspot and communicate efficiently using compressed diagnostic data sets and reduced latency transmissions.
The invention is directed to fulfilling one or more of the needs and overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.